How fast your EV can charge
Public EV charging speeds
Whether you're new to public electric vehicle (EV) charging or need a refresher, we're here to get you up to speed on how fast your EV can charge and why.
How fast can my EV charge?
Remember that it's not just the charger that determines your EV's charging speed, but your EV as well. Even if a charger offers high power, your vehicle might only accept part of it. Charging speed is mainly affected by:
- Maximum charging rate: Charging speed is limited by how much power the vehicle can accept from a fast or ultra-fast charger.
- Battery temperature: Cold or hot weather can slow down charging.
- Battery state of charge (SOC): Charging is fastest at a low SOC (such as 10 to 30%) and slows down as it gets closer to full. That's why many EV manufacturers recommend charging to about 80% and recharging once the battery drops closer to 20%.
- Power sharing: Many of our fast chargers can split power between vehicles if two are plugged in at once. Learn more about power sharing.
Check your owner's manual to find out your EV's maximum charging power for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) charging.
EV charging estimator
Use our interactive tool to learn how charging speed, time and vehicle features can affect the charging experience for a variety of EVs.
What charging speeds do public sites have?
At BC Hydro public charging sites, you'll find Level 2 chargers ranging from 7.2 to 19.2 kW and a variety of Level 3 fast chargers that currently range from 25 to 400 kW. Learn more about our fast charging network.
Charging sites near restaurants, rest stops and major roads like highways often offer higher-speed charging, helping drivers get back on the road quickly. Level 2 and mixed-use sites with both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers are often next to places you might want to spend more time at, like recreation centres, grocery stores, and shopping areas.
Know your vehicle
Before you plug in, it helps to get to know your EV. Check your owner's manual for these important charging details:
How much energy your battery can store. A larger capacity means it takes more energy to fully charge.
Your EV controls how much power it can accept from chargers through your vehicle's battery management system. For example, if you use a 350 kW charger but your EV's limit is 100 kW, it will only accept 100 kW.
Some EVs can precondition the battery, which means they heat or cool it to an appropriate temperature before charging; this improves the vehicle's ability to accept higher charging speeds. If your EV has this feature, your manual will explain how to turn it on.
Learn how to start a charging session, adjust your charge limit (for example, to 80%), and view battery details.
Get to know how much range your EV has, what affects it (such as weather and driving style) and how it displays this info.
Know where your EV's charging cable manual release button or lever is and review any other safety info.
For more assistance with charging basics and info about charging costs and our mobile app, visit our charging help centre.